Many, many months after the official closure of the Sungei Road Hawker Zone, the beloved flea market has become a nomadic institution of sorts, with its vendors appearing in pop-up events every once in a while. Thieves Market lives on thanks to community volunteers, who’re documenting and publicising the whereabouts of its satellite booths on the Sungei Road Heritage Flea Market Facebook page.
Eighty-seven years after it first opened, the Sungei Road Hawker Zone (more popularly known by its moniker “Thieves Market”) shuttered for good on July 10. The decision to shut down the flea market was part of an effort to repurpose the site for future residential development use. It was a go-to space for acquiring retro items as well as literal junk. The authorities assured that the displaced vendors will have a new spot to sell their bric-a-brac.
Still no word about a permanent site for the grizzled vendors hawking old knick-knacks, but they’ve found a temporary location for now. Every Saturday and Sunday, you can relive the old days at Woodlands Recreation Center, where Thieves Market vendors put out their wares for sale in the northern industrial district. With all the hype over zero waste and upcycling going on right now, it’s good to know that a second-hand goods market still exists for people who actually practice what they preach.
Check out the Sungei Road Hawker Zone Version 2 every weekend at 200 Woodlands Industrial Park E7, close to the Sheng Siong supermarket and Hong Sun Tan Temple. Stay updated on their Facebook event page.
